Consider safety on Halloween

WVU Extension Service gives tips for safe holiday

October 25, 2011

MARTINSBURG - Ghosts and goblins aren't always the scariest part of the Halloween holiday. Parents and homeowners often have to worry about the safety of their homes and families.

WVU Extension Service offers these tips and tricks to make Halloween a treat for everyone involved.

Candy-Safety

and Alternatives

It's important to consider your children's health when it comes to all the candy they will collect on Halloween. Not only do you need to inspect it for any tampering, but you need to consider what you will do with all of it. Eating a good meal before trick-or-treating will help children be able to resist eating candy until they get home.

After trick-or-treat, parents can implement a "buy-back" program for Halloween candy. To do this, children get to choose several pieces of candy to savor after the holiday. Parents then "buy" the rest of the candy from the child and replace it with an activity such as a movie, a sleepover with friends or a new book. Children get to enjoy a little candy without over-indulging, and parents can dispose of the candy as they see fit. Allowing candy to sit out where children see it is often too tempting to pass up.

Drivers may not easily see trick-or-treaters. For improved visibility, children should carry a flashlight, glow stick and/or wear reflective tape on their costumes. In addition, trick-or-treaters should stay on sidewalks and cross streets only at crosswalks.

Finally, children should be supervised by an adult and walk in large groups, which are easier to see than individual pedestrians.

Stranger Danger

Halloween is a fun night to gather with neighbors, but be sure to remind children of "stranger danger." Remind children that they should never enter a house or a car of someone they do not know. Children should stay in well-lit, populated areas and stick to a pre-planned route.

Costume Safety

If your child wears a mask, make sure the viewing area is big enough so that your child can easily see where he or she is going.

Be careful of tripping hazards. To lessen the possibility of a fall, wear shoes with a low heel and be sure that the costume does not drag on the ground.

Props should be made of plastics or foam material to reduce the risk of an injury of a child falls.

Reflector strips help drivers see trick-or-treaters.

Fire Safety

According to West Virginia University Safety and Health Extension experts, costumes aren't always the scariest part of Halloween. Follow these tips from the National Fire Protection Association to keep your trick-or-treaters safe.

Purchase only costumes, wigs and props labeled flame-resistant or flame-retardant. When creating a costume, choose material that won't easily ignite if it comes in contact with heat or flame. Avoid billowing or long trailing features.

Dried flowers, cornstalks and crepe paper are highly flammable. Keep these and other decorations well away from all open flames and heat sources, including light bulbs, heaters, etc.

Use flashlights or battery-operated candles when illuminating Jack-o-lanterns. Use extreme caution when decorating with candle-lit Jack-O-Lanterns, and supervise children at all times when candles are lit. When lighting candles inside Jack-O-Lanterns, use long, fireplace-style matches and be sure to place lit pumpkins well away from anything that can burn including doorsteps, walkways and yards.

Instruct children to stay away from open flames or other heat sources. Be sure children know how to stop, drop and roll in the event their clothing catches fire. (Stop immediately, drop to the ground, covering your face with your hands, and roll over and over to extinguish flames.) Cool the burn.

Use flashlights as alternatives to candles or torch lights when decorating walkways and yards. They are much safer for trick-or-treaters, whose costumes may brush against the lighting.

Make sure fuel-burning equipment is vented to the outside, that the venting is kept clear and unobstructed, and that the exit point is properly sealed around the vent, all of which is to make sure deadly carbon monoxide does not build up in the home.

Instruct children who are attending parties at others' homes to locate the exits and plan how they would get out in an emergency.

Whether you are accompanying your children as they visit the neighbors' or handing out "treats" at your door, promote the safe and healthy celebration of autumn and the harvest season.

- This article was written from information supplied by Amy Gannon and Brooke Baker, extension specialists in the Family Nutrition Program, and Hannah Fincham and Sue Flanagan, extension agents with the Families and Health Program Unit of the West Virginia University Extension Service.